Apr 4, 2012

Nokia is back, live and kicking, and it’s taking Microsoft’s Windows Phone with it. Will it be enough to successfully compete with Android and iOS devices? I’m not sure, but at least we can enjoy those 3 super funny ads by Nokia…

Nokia:

Many people are excited about the Nokia/Microsoft partnership even before trying out Windows Phone or any new WP7 devices by Nokia. It seems like many people cherish their first cellphones, and Nokia was there all along, serving them well, with solid, durable and usable models.

I see things differently.

I was never a Nokia fan, nor did I like their devices (or their user experience for that mater). I remember getting Samsung phones when all of my friends went with Nokia ones. Then came Symbian and that was the worst alternative if you asked me…

Windows Phone 7:

Today Nokia is the largest handset manufacturer in the Windows Phone 7 market. Only problem is that this market is so tiny, it doesn’t really make any difference who is leading it.

Apple is still providing the best mobile experience out there, but many people do not like Apple. Some people will never buy an Apple product while others simply find their phones to be too expensive.

Android is the only real alternative to iOS these days. But people are getting tired of it. You can see it in the recent reports, frustrated users, low satisfaction rate. Some thing in the Android crazy momentum is slowing down.

Windows Phone is the 3rd largest mobile operating system at the moment, and it is there with less than 5% market share. That’s absurd, but that’s the reality… WP7 is there not because it is widely adopted, but because it’s Microsoft, and because it’s the only real alternative to iOS and Android. It’s fresh, the UI is amazing. It’s unique and it came from a giant. The only giant left in the world who can successfully compete with the other giants.

It’s there because some of the world needs something new, and Windows Phone has what it takes to be that thing.

Marketing:

I’m not sure why, but it seems like Microsoft is still “hiding” Windows Phone, waiting for it to be ready, perfect maybe, who knows. All I know is that no one (of the non-technical gadgets fans) spoke about Windows Phone before Nokia came in, which means that Microsoft probably did something terribly wrong with promoting it. In the Mobile World congress, for instance, there were hundreds of places to see Android. Only 2 places to see Windows Phone: the Microsoft booth and the Nokia one.

HTC, Samsung, LG, did not even bother to show their WP7 models in their booths. How insulting.

Apps:

As I wrote in the past. I stopped using my Windows Phone after around 8-10 months. There are plenty of reasons, but the main one was the lack of apps. Good apps, that is. Today, there are around 70,000 apps in the MarketPlace. This is such a low number comparing to the 500,000 and above in the Apple AppStore. In the AppStore, every day you can find new great apps, games, trendy stuff. It’s alive! MarketPlace is dead. I stopped using Windows Phone a while ago, every few weeks I open the phone just to check if there are some new cool apps that may convince me to go back to it – nothing changes, Boring.

Back To Nokia:

Nokia’s Lumia 900 is right around the corner and it seems like the game rules are finally changing: marketing wise, this phone will receive the second largest launch in 2012 (after the Galaxy Note). In addition, it is going to be priced aggressively at around $100. Add to it the fact that people still see Nokia as a strong brand – that might actually lead to some attractiveness to this advanced model.

On top of those, Nokia seems to follow Samsung in releasing some funny ads directly targeted towards Apple. Who knows, maybe we will soon see some stuff making fun of Android too…

So, Nokia is back. At least so it seems. While Microsoft is still very quiet about Windows Phone, Nokia is beginning to show some aggressive signs. I am skeptical at this stage about the chances of Windows Phone to widely succeed, but I am definitely hoping it will happen.

For me, as someone who just can get along with Android, no matter how badly I try, and as a true Metro UI freak, Windows Phone doesn’t only mean a healthier mobile ecosystem, but also real alternatives for my current iPhone.

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comments:

Nokia already established and grab the trust of the consumers. they are always on the game if we are talking about mobile phones. These a good sign of competitions, we can choose which phone we love to use.